


Legacy

by Peruvian Gypsy (Cat_Moon)



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Gen, Stream of Consciousness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-18 08:25:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19330804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat_Moon/pseuds/Peruvian%20Gypsy
Summary: Ten years in the future, Jim muses about the major changes in his life.





	Legacy

**Author's Note:**

> Circa 1990s. A totally Gen story, another way to look at the Sentinel/Guide relationship.

 

I never thought about having children, y'know. I remember telling Sandburg I wasn't a big fan of animals and kids. Still, I took _him_ home and into my life anyway. Learned how to adjust. It wasn't exactly the same and yet in some odd little ways it was. House rules, a sense of protectiveness I couldn't shake, pride when he did good. Still, If someone had ever said I'd make a good father, I would've laughed. Shoulda known it was a harbinger of things to come.

Nobody was more surprised than me to find myself a father, especially at this stage of the game. Hey, what'd'ya know, accidents do still happen. No. Somehow, seeing my newborn child sleeping, holding his tiny body -- I couldn't believe this could ever be an accident. I was ready to believe Blair's predestined theory. What else could I do? I vowed to be the kind of father mine _hadn't_ been, careful not to repeat someone else's mistakes. And you know what? It wasn't even difficult. Yet another surprise to add to a growing list. There was just something so miraculous about it, I couldn't help myself.

It used to be Sandburg's heartbeat I'd listen for, watch over. Now it's another, and it's different. This beating life exists because of me, I _created_ it. I feel an almost awesome power. Humbling? Hardly. At least not for me. It totally blindsided me, and swept me away.

Things were great when Kyle was young. I could indulge myself, immerse myself in him and the world looked clean and beautiful and totally different. Okay, so I was a little overprotective, hovering. Kyle didn't mind, didn't even notice. That lasted almost ten years.

Now I know what Simon was always wrestling with.

Suddenly my sunny, agreeable son was hell on wheels, sullen and uncommunicative. Lucky me, I didn't even have to wait for puberty. It was like he'd locked himself away, so far inside his own mind nobody could reach. And then Sandburg went in and tried.

They were gone three _days_ , don't know where they went or what they did. Showed up again one day, and the big freeze out was over. Sandburg had this guilty/embarrassed/smug/excited expression on his face. Looked at me and said, “guess what? It _is_ genetic”. Great. Another hurdle to overcome.

Blair and Kyle seem to have an almost brotherly thing going. I admit sometimes I feel a bit jealous. Damned if I can figure out whether it's at sharing my son or my guide. Kyle needs him more than I do though, over the years Blair's done a pretty good job of training me to keep them under control. And it must be hard, being a kid and having this, this confusing _thing_ that makes you different, apart from the rest. It was tough enough on me as an adult. But he's not alone, there's three of us now. It must be a bit strange for Blair, the situation is almost reversed. He's the older one in the Sentinel/Guide thing now.

Is the kid following in his old man's footsteps? Naw. He's already showing an avid interest in anthropology. Do I mind? Hell no. It's a nice, safe profession where you're not getting shot at (provided you're not hanging around with a cop) and that suits me just fine. I think they're gonna make a damn good team.

And that's what it's all about. Passing on the torch to the new generation, leaving something behind when you go. Legacy.

 

 

The end.

 

 

 


End file.
